The Star Dragon
by Akatsuki's Kyuubi
Summary: An agreement made before the meeting of chiefs throws a wrench in a lot of plans. But to the amazement of the Dragon Riders there are others out there, who are these mysterious Sky clan? What do they want? And who is that person the boys saw on the beach?
1. Prologue

The Star Dragon

Prologue

Romanastra Drakon Pegasus, was a little girl who the whole village thought was cursed. It never mattered that she was the first born of the Clan chief. Or that her mother was from a different land. When she had been born the winter had been so hard many had perished, than the wise woman had come and looked at the child. "I see a dark shadow over the child, the shadow of a dragon.. Though touched by starlight, so to is she by a dragon's soul. Heed these words Braxten, Chief of the Sky clan. You will not be here to help your daughter when she needs you most, and the village will blame her for it. Before you leave for the gathering of Chiefs.. Speak with your wife and hold your child. And I will pray for you, you will be welcomed in the halls of the ancestors."

His wife Tala was a gentle woman with vibrant crimson hair. "I heard the old one say you will not come home... Does she mean not right away or not ever?" He smiled not able to tell her with their second child in her belly. "I think right away." She smiles in relief. "Come husband and lay and pet your second child a little before you say good bye to our eldest." When she had fallen asleep he rose, covered her and added logs to the fire to keep her warm. He entered the little ones room and his mother saw him, rising and the wooden rocking cradle stilled. "She sleeps so restlessly." He looks at his mother knowing he can not lie to her. "The old one came to see her earlier." The woman's blue-gray eyes widened. "What did she say?" "I will not return from where I am going. Astra is touched by the stars and holds the soul of a dragon.. And I will not be able to help her when she needs me most..."

He held his child until it was time for him to depart and when he left he strung an amulet around her neck, a black charm of a dragon in flight on a braided leather cord. He sailed for months until he got to the meeting place and met up with a long time friend. "Stoic!" The red-headed viking turned and looked at the huge black haired viking with green eyes. "Braxten! My brother, how fair you?" He smiled. "I have a daughter born just before the cusp of winter, the light of my world." He grinned. "Good good. I have a son!" Braxten laughed and they got mead and toasted to each other's children. "So will the Hooligan and Sky clans have a match in their future?" Braxten laughed. "That sounds a fine notion!" Stoic boomed. And together they quickly signed and sealed the offering. Braxten sent the beautiful dagger off with his companion back for home along with the documents so that it would reach there safely. They were talking about it when Drago burst in, and the world turned to flame. Braxten shoved Stoic out and a beam coming down caught him unawares.

~Five years later.~

Astra was running from the village kids again. They were throwing stones at her, she was only four, tomorrow would be her fifth birthday. She was blamed for anything that went wrong in the village, from a cow falling to a dragon attack. But as she walked she began to hear something. Then turning a huge tree she saw it, a dragon lying on its side its breathing heavy. "Oh no, people did this.." She hated when people and dragons fought, it made her cry she came closer the great golden eyes meeting hers. She touched its head lightly petting. "Poor pretty dragon I'm sorry." It seemed to understand but it looked at something. She followed its gaze and found a nest, only one egg hidden under branches remained untrampled. "There's one left!" The dragon seemed to cry for something and slowly with careful maneuvering, Astra got the egg out of the nest an moved it towards the big dragon. The dragon wrapped its tail around Astra and the egg keeping both warm. Astra fell asleep next to the dragon and curled around the egg. When she woke the next morning, the dragon didn't. She made a carry sack from her extra fur and a few sticks tied together, the egg was heavy and she had to go slow so the egg didn't fall.

But she thought about the big dragon how it had kept her warm all night and how the dragon had been kind to her, it was nice no matter what people said. She didn't have to do what they said, she was going to become strong enough they had to heed her. To be the great chief her father was. She pulled out the dagger her daddy had sent her and saw the dragon on the hilt, she would be as strong as that dragon. When the villagers saw her they didn't notice what she had brought back, she hissed at the kids who chased her into the forest and made her way to the large house at the other edge of town. After carefully making sure her egg was in the large caver/room that was hers she came back to talk to her mother. The woman sit in front of the fire most of the time now making clothes.

"You didn't come back last night." Astra huffed. "Its hard to come back mama when people throw rocks at you whenever they see you." The woman flinched softly. "I am sorry my daughter. Your father Braxten would never have allowed such behavior from his people. I only hope you can become someone who will lead them from darkness." Astra scoffed as she ate her stew and bread. "That requires they stop calling me 'Dragon's whelp' or 'Dragon's bastard' I have heard them mama. I am not as forgiving as Sunstar."

It hurt somewhere inside that as much as the village hated Astra they loved Sunstar. When Astra was finished eating she washed her dishes and headed out. She snuck into the place where the books for the dragon fighters were kept and read them, Astra never had to read anything a second time. She made her way into the cool rooms of the meat-house and took a couple barrels full of meat. Usually the stuff they threw out or what went to the village dogs. She also took a couple of barrels of real meat to make sure she could have food.

The villagers would give just enough to feed her mother and Sunstar or wait until she was not around to give them food. She had to start building her supplies early, and make sure they stayed that way. Her room/cave had a spring that was fed from the hot pools deep under ground so she could bathe all year round without getting cold. She had been a little greedy and build herself a large bed with a thick straw mattress covered by a deer hide pad. Then fur blankets for warmth. She had rolled the egg in a hollow near the bath and stropped off all her dirty clothes and tossed them in the soaking pool to wash after. Her long white hair now nearly touched her bottom when it was down like this. Her spectral blue eyes flecked with silver seemed to glow in the low light of the cave. She reached out and touched the egg. It began to glow and started to rock, it wiggled and rolled itself into the water with her. She felt something disturb the water as the egg sunk beyond her reach a shape breached the surface and she was suddenly staring into silver eyes. "Hello."

She reached out to the tiny dragon who squawked in indignity, then they were touching. Something beyond understanding, beyond comprehension passed between them. The tiny black form with the silver eyes churred. "Your name is Furei. Because we will light up the night together." The little dragon was pitch black with scales outlined in shining silver. It truly was a most stunning dragon. And that was the start of a whole new life for the most miserable little girl in Sky land.

~8 Years later~

They were sitting atop the highest peak the pair could climb to. Furei had muscled up really well and the dragon book had nothing on Night Furies. The black dragoness was large pitch black with silver lined scales and those silver eyes. Astra had made a saddle from careful designs so as not to hurt Furei or constrict her flying. She had her hands on the grip ready as they stood over looking the drop to the ocean so far below. "Furei, I believe in you. Let's light up the night." The dragon snorted as if chasing away doubt. Jumping up with her front legs Furei took them off the ledge, they fell for what felt like hours but was only moments then she opened her wings and _flap. _**Came the first downbeat. **_Flap. _**The second stronger and more sure. **Higher and higher they soared, spinning and whirling, laughing and diving, Astra heard it the cry of the Night fury. She laughed as she spotted dragons heading for her village and her and Furei as a team gently drove them off. Staking their claim.

As Furei landed and she dismounted some of the villagers had grabbed for spears but the wise woman raised her hand. "The Star Dragon has found a way to help us survive." Astra looked at the frightened people. "No more hunting dragons, instead we will live among them, fly with them become a Sky clan the like of which has never been before! No other children need fear going hungry!" And soon again life for the first female to become leader of a clan, changed for the better. And Sky clan rose higher and higher from that day.


	2. Meetings & Truth's told

The Star Dragon

Chapter 1: Meetings & Truths told

~2 Years later (Post first movie by a couple months)~

Stoic was up and having his first drink of the day when a knock came at his door. He opened it to find on of the watchmen. "What is it?" The man looked haunted. "A dragon rider sir." He looked down at him rather unimpressed, his son had shown them how to ride dragons. "Ok, then who is he?" The man swallowed. "That's just it Chief, they are not from here." That got Stoic moving. "Where is Hiccup?" "I found you first sir, I presume he is helping build the dragon stables." Stoic huffed. "Bring him to me. I will meet the dragon rider at the meeting hut, what kind of dragon is he astride?" "A nightmare." He grumbled. "Make sure to tell Hiccup that too." The man turned and ran for the stables as Stoic made his way for the meeting hut.

He saw the new nightmare, it was lying down waiting for a command from the rider who sat on its foreleg. He fed the dragon from the bag that had been strapped behind the saddle. "I see you tend your beast first, that is the mark of an honorable man." The man stood making sure the bag was open to the dragon's snout. He removed his helmet and gray eyes gleamed back at him. Stoic felt Hiccup come up beside him. "Chief Stoic of the Hooligan Clan, I am Nightfall, Son of Blacknight. I come as envoy for the promise you and Chief Braxten made fifteen winters passed." Stoic's eyes widened. Hiccup looked at his father. "Dad who is Braxten?" Stoic laid a hand on his shoulder. "He was my best friend, he saved my life that night giving up his own. He was Chief of a hidden tribe, of the mountains and the stars. The Sky clan." Hiccup's green eyes were curious. "I don't understand dad?" Stoic sighed. "To protect both tribes we had hoped to combine them, Braxten had a daughter.. I have a son." Hiccup shook his head shaking the wetness from his eyes.

"When will the rest of the party from the Sky clan land?" The envoy bowed. "Some will land within an hour, the rest by night fall. You need not worry about feeding us, we are bringing two full flights and three fighting wings to ensure we eat well." Though they didn't understand the terms they did understand the time frame. "Dad what will I do? Astrid finally likes me." Stoic grasps both his shoulders, making his son look him in the eye. "Meet her Hiccup. You will know nothing unless you do. We didn't even know anyone had dragons until you showed us how. Now some one else has them.. Use your head son, your better than me at that." Hiccup nodded.

A large empty lodge was cleaned out and made ready as several more dragons landed a beautiful woman got down and they went to greet her. Snotlout was blown away by her hip length spun gold hair and amber eyes. Her pale skin and willowy frame in a gauzy dress. "Hello." They went to show her the hut and she held up her hands blushing. "You have me confused.. I'm Sunstar, second daughter of Braxten.. Your looking for my elder sister. I came ahead to make sure everything would be alright. But its really nice to meet all of you." The guys relaxed around Sunstar and she looked at them. "Please don't tell me your afraid of my sister already..." They all gave her looks of bewilderment. "All my sisters life, the village has hated, feared and resented her.. Only when she proved she was the only one who could save them did they bury the resentment and hate... But the fear still lingers.."

Snotlout couldn't resist asking. "Does she look anything like you?" Sunstar was confused by his question and it showed. "We don't look much alike. Resembling different grandparents she favors fathers side of the family I, our mothers." They showed her their dragons and she smiled and a couple of times wiped tears away. "You have such a separate way from Sky clan. But your understanding is good. You just haven't had enough time." It was getting louder in the village as it neared the evening meal then suddenly it was dead silent. "What is happening?!" Hiccup said. "Its my sister. The old one says its a sign of respect." They saw a large shape landing near the beach and several dragons swirling in the sky. "Those are the flights, they are going hunting." Stoic came forward looking at the small group. "That black shape?" Sunstar nodded. "She's flying very slow as not to frighten your village."

They heard laughter as they neared the beach and saw a rider in loose pants and a halter top, playing tug-the-fish with Toothless. "You silly male, its just a fish head." she scratched him and when he rolled over she began brushing him with an odd brush, dead scales falling away like rain. "Itchy huh?" He rolled over and she sat in his saddle looking at it. "What an interesting saddle, someone spent a lot of time working this out.." Hiccup tried not to flush as they came forward. "I did, I tried six different times to get one that worked." When she looked at him he saw what looked like the eyes of a dragon staring back. She slid down rubbing Toothless on the neck, he rumbled. "Yeah I know your hungry, we'll talk him into going hunting okay?" His tail wagged and she laughed. Snotlout's jaw dropped. Sunstar gently pushed it closed. "That is Romanastra."

Hiccup looked at his dragon and tried to make sense of what was going on. "I am impressed that it only took you six tries to make a saddle that was able to compensate for the missing tail-fin. That is impressive. Takes work to ride like that." He grinned. "What about you? Do you fly?" She laughed and laughed loudly. "I fly? Oh yes green eyes I fly. Would you like to see my dragon?" Hiccup nodded. "First introduce me to your friends since you met my sister." He motioned to the others. "This is Tuffnut, Snotlout, Fishlegs and my father Chief Stoic the vast." He saw her eyes turn sad. "There is a painting of your father and mine when they were our age, in my village fighting their way out of a brawl of men bigger than them. It hung over our mantle until the day mama died.. Papa always said that was the day he knew he had made his best friend for life." Sunstar wiped her eyes. "They grew up to become Stoic the vast and Braxten the blade."

Stoic said something then. "You papa was at my wedding. He came bringing a great blanket of thick black fur, a bear he said. Only the best fur to keep the family of his brother warm. How I miss your father and how grateful I am he allowed me to come home to raise my son."

They heard a sound and something descended on the beach like a powerful wind from the sea. Only Astra didn't shield herself from the wind. "Furei, you have returned. Was hunting good?" A growl of enjoyment as a small deer was dropped to the beach. The Berkians were in awe of the new dragon. Shortly the deer was over a fire cooking as the dragon looked at them with disdain. Toothless snarled and she looked at him with surprise, they seemed to speak for a bit. Toothless seemed as betwixt as Hiccup was. Sunstar invited them to sit near the fire. "If you remain far from my sister you are saying you are inferior to her in the language of dragons. But be prepared to defend your right as an equal." Stoic sat down and soon they heard Skull crusher settle behind him. Astra smiled nodding. "He is deemed the elder of the fire. Being the oldest here." They looked at Sunstar rather in shock as she pulled out books and tools for writing. "What? I am the one who notates all to do with the night furies as everyone else is to afraid to approach Astra or Furei." The aura of calm leadership rolled of the two females and Hiccup was confused. "Why? To all of it?"

Astra looked at him before sighing. "Do you know what it is like to not be understood by anyone in your entire village? Everyone else has a place but you? Or the place they tossed you into is one you can't stomach? I was tired of having stones cast at me, or being shorted food so that they could try and starve me to death.. I was tired of being mistreated.. Of no one listening.. I was 4 when I was chased out of the village with stones and winter was starting, there had been a dragon attack the night before and I was blamed for it." Stoic and the others were imagining it eyes closed, picturing the small child running. "I ran for hours, on and on until I found a dragon. An elder night fury, he cried out for his eggs. And I found the nest, all but one hidden under some leafy branches had been destroyed. It took all the strength I could muster to get the egg to his side. He curled around the egg and I keeping us both warm from the frosty night. The next morning I woke up to find he had passed into Valhalla. I took the egg home smuggled it into my hidden place and as we grew up together, learned to fly and fight together we returned to stop an attack on the town. The old one called us 'The Star Dragon' and said we would lead them from darkness. Sky clan is now a clan who works with our dragons for the betterment of the village and of any who need our help in our territory."

Hiccup couldn't help but smile. That was what he wanted but a few changes. "Why don't you help everyone?" She smiled. "If you send your fighting wings a far, who will protect your home should a foe come calling?" She made a motion with her hands they all understood. "How many dragons does a fighting wing have?" Snotlout asked and Astra grinned. "Fifteen to twenty depending on size of the dragons in the wing." Tuffnut popped in a question that rather surprised his friends. "Why does the size of the dragon change the size of the fighting wing?" Astra pulled a piece of meat off the spit and ate it. "For example you have two timber jacks, three nightmares and twelve nadders. Now run the flight speeds." Fishlegs was the fastest. "It won't work the Timberjacks will fly higher and faster than the rest and the nadders can't maintain that kind of speed for long." Astra grinned. "That's correct. That kind of wing will never work. We use Timberjacks with Nightmares. They can keep up at that speed and altitude. Nadders work best with gronkles and on occasion scalderons or whispers." Fishlegs gulped. "You have a whispering-death?" She laughed. "We have 3. Mostly use them to heard fish into traps. Great sea fighters. They team great with scalderons. And boy does it get messy then.."

Sunstar laughed. "She used the scalderons to wash a village of bandits clean out.. I don't think I have ever seen that many muddy vikings ever." Astra looked at the guys. "Hey sometimes its a dirty job but damn was that funny!" Sunstar. "You went in with flaming dragons and baked the mud dry and they were stuck there... And that mud smelled so bad.." Astra nodded. "They were much more amendable when we washed it off though." Sunstar nodded. "Yeah. And they stopped fighting with the neighboring village after that." Tuffnut couldn't help but be fascinated by the gleaming eyes before him. Especially when she snatched another piece of meat off the deer. Sunstar tried and pulled her hand back waving her fingers before sucking on the tips. Astra chuckled softly and Sunstar pouted. "It seems my sister you have not yet mastered getting food from a spit." Sunstar stopped sucking her fingers. "I'm not as good as you Astra. I always burn my fingers an I don't know why." Astra smiled. "Your hands are sensitive to the fire, you do not walk with dragons Sunstar, so your not used to heat." Snotlout reached out and pulled a piece off and handed it to Sunstar. He noticed her blush and the sudden intense look of the blue silver flecked eyes across the fire. "So you take responsibility for feeding my sister from your own hand?"

Something deep within Snotlout forced the answer. "I will, she will eat before I." The eyes lost some of their icy demeanor. Another piece was removed and eaten. Snotlout screwed up his courage and pulled another piece of meat from the deer and gave it to Sunstar. She smiled at him as she began to chew on it, he turned back to see pleased eyes. Stoic pulled a piece and ate it. "Tender and spiced well." Sunstar piped in. "Mama taught us to cook. Leader and chief scribe or not we must be able to cook for our future families. Astra makes better leather items than I, but I make finer silk." Stoic was surprised. "Who is chief of the village?" Sunstar pointed subtly across the fire. Stoic realized with her father dead and that it had fallen on his daughter's shoulders to lead her people. "I see. Your father would be proud of the women his daughters have become." More pieces were passed around Hiccup liked Astra but he had loved Astrid since he was a boy. Stoic asked more questions about the things they made.

They talked for some time until a rider appeared. "Leader?" Astra climbed to her feet. "What is it?" The rider looked down. "Tundra has returned alone." She sighed. "I told that fool to leave him be." The berkians looked on but Hiccup rose shortly followed by the others. "Who is Tundra?" A smile crossed her face. "Would you like to find out?" Nods came from the other riders. "Assemble your dragons then." It took twenty minutes and Ruffnut looked at Astra like an invader, but they were ready. Astra gently stepped onto her dragons back, they jumped one at a time into the air and then followed Astra in a circle to gain height. Snotlout kept Sunstar with him, and the expression of joy on her face thrilled him like nothing else. They found the made camp on the high cliffs of a near by island.

All the dragons moved aside and wanted their heads rubbed by Astra as she walked passed. Furei remained behind her as they entered a place where dragons were being unharnessed. One huge timberjack patterned like a snowy field snarled and snapped. "Tundra!" The dragon stilled but no one moved. Hiccup and the others could see the fear on some faces. But Tuffnut's eyes were on the dragon. It must be so itchy. He moved closer hands held out. "Its ok boy, its ok." He pulled one strap loose then another, one by one until the saddle was loose. Then he shoved the whole thing off. He grabbed a brush and climbed on the timberjack's back and began brushing from the neck down. Astra was watching as Tundra turned his head and made happy sounds. Tuffnut had to take his tunic off to keep working but he didn't notice it was removed as the dead scales were cleared away. When he finished the dragons clear blue eyes reflected contentment. He rubbed his nose before he heard a voice.

"I am impressed." Astra said as she came forward with a chalice of cool water. He drank it greedily. "Tundra has refused all who tried to ride him. But I think you could. You are responsible for feeding him Tuff." He flushed at her shortening his name. She turned to one of the others on the ground. "Get him meat and more water. Once he is done make sure he gets a complete bath and new clothing. We will await him in the riders circle." Nods and they left, Hiccup worried about his friend for a minute but he saw how hyped Toothless was. "What's up bud?" He looked back at the feeding ground and Hiccup felt awful. "Your hungry. Alright I'll take you to get some food. Will you guys be alright for a bit?"

Hiccup took Toothless to catch fish and he saw Stormfly and Astrid. "Astrid!" She looked at him and seemed mad. "Aren't you spending time with your wife to be?" Hiccup recoiled as if he'd been struck. "My dad asked me to meet her. Astrid, yes I like her as a friend. But I have loved you for as long as I can remember." She started to cry. "You know you say the nicest things to me. How did this even happen?" He sighed as their dragons swooped for more fish. "Her dad and mine were friends since they were really young, and they did this when we were born. And just after that her dad died saving mine." Astrid blinked. "Now I feel bad for telling Ruffnut I hated her. Who was her father?" She asked as they made a sweeping turn. "Braxten the blade. Whoever that is. And get this, she tamed a Night fury. I don't know if its a boy or a girl. Her entire village hates and fears her but they deal with her because she commands the dragons. Its kind of an awful what could have happened to Toothless and I." Astrid winced. "Ok I really do feel bad now. Where are the others?"

"Waiting for Tuffnut. He actually settled one of their timberjacks. He's feeding it now." They went back to the camp and when Astrid saw Ruffnut she grabbed her and they went to talk quietly for a minute. Sunstar was writing in a book, working on meat supplies and what they would need to bring in. "Leader, this is a good place to call up our Timber wings an do some felling. So we can build when the wood aged through the winter. We could even trade some of the timber to our brothers and sisters in the Hooligan tribe." Stoic was surprised when he was offered a seat in the circle as were all the younger riders. "What say you Chief Stoic?" An old woman asked, her braids were decorated with glass beads and carved bones. The wise one. "I say it is a good notion, better if we send in the nadders an nightmares first to pick up any prey or herd it into traps for vikings to catch. Its a good way to get new furs and more meat. And we do need building supplies. Berk doesn't have timberjacks." Astra nodded and went to say something but she stopped at seeing something. A man stepped into the circle, his waist length light blonde hair was pulled back into one shining clean braid. His face had been shaved and his blue eyes gleamed. His black hide pants were resting snugly against his trim form. He wore a black fur vest with a white linen shirt under it loose at his throat. His new boots gleamed, as he looked at his friends he raised one eyebrow. "Why are you all looking at me like that? Did I miss a spot of blood?" Sunstar poked Snotlout's arm. "Look, he's got her attention. If you don't want broken hearts on either side of this then we need to encourage your friend to spend more time around my sister." Snotlout smiled, he was finally going to get the girl. "Hey Tuffnut why not come sit down I'll move over one." Since he was sitting next to Astra it was perfect. Snotlout moved to the other side of Sunstar who smiled. "Wow Tuff, you look nice dressed like one of our dragon riders." The blonde actually blushed. "I had to pull my hair apart because I got blood everywhere feeding Tundra. How long has it been since anyone fed him?" He turned to Astra, who's face tinted lightly.

"I've been the only one able to feed or groom him until you came along. Tundra is our newest timberjack. But he is also the second largest and still young." The pair were slightly lost in each others eyes. Astrid looked at Hiccup and motioned to the two he nodded. Another person ran up ruining the moment. "Leader!" She sighed. "What is it?" "Its Tundra again, but this time he seems to be dragging his saddle around." She smiled. "I'll handle it."

"Looks like your test flight is now. He isn't willing to wait anymore." Tuffnut got up and held out his hand, she grasped the callused fingers and he pulled her gently to her feet. She stood almost right against him, hands still clasped until a roar made them look back up the path. They pushed off running side by side still holding hands as she tugged him down different paths as they got closer to the pen. A tall viking spotted the pair running. "Make way for the Leader and his rider!" Vikings got to the sides of the path to avoid the booted pair, they entered the pen to find Tundra being pushed back. Furei dropped in blue-white flames surrounding the dragon.

"Back your dragons up!" The two nightmares backed up, unhappily. Tuffnut had stayed at her side. He came and rubbed Tundra's nose and used the brush on his head gently to calm him. "You ready to saddle up?" The dragon got up, perching on his tail and his wing hooks. Another rider brought over Tundra's saddle and Tuffnut turned it over pulling all the dead scales out of the saddle blanket before shaking it out and settling it over his neck and shoulder area. Then went the pad he shook that out and realized it was flat. "Need a new pad." Astra had seen him inspecting the saddle and had noticed the condition of the pad first so by the time he got to it she had gotten another from the others. She handed it to Tuff, stroking his hands with hers. "Timberjacks go through pads about twice a year. We'll teach you to cut an re-stuff the old ones." He grinned. "So long as its time with you I won't complain." She flushed as he returned to his saddle. He finished his straps she gently checked them, tightening one, loosening another.

"If you want I will go up with you. Or you can fly alone." He grinned. "Fly with me." She smiled at him. "That means something to me it might not mean to you." His smile got bigger. "Just fly for now.. I want to learn more about you and your village and your people." She grinned at him. Tuffnut felt like someone finally was paying attention to him and not because he was a twin, just him. He reached out and grasped her hand they both flushed lightly. "No one has ever flown with me, that wasn't my annoying sister. This will be the first time I get to do something for myself as a man with only the sky as the limit." Astra stroked her thumb over his knuckles. "You have compassion in your eyes, I see it. You have a great gift inside you. I don't know what it is, but I know its there." Tuff's eyes watered and he hugged her, he felt her stiffen in surprise then relax then curl her arms around his waist. "I didn't know hugs felt this nice.."

He looked at her. "You don't have a lot of experience with hugs huh?" Astra shook her head. "You are the first man I can remember who hugged me." Tuff remembered all the hugs he had ever gotten and felt grateful for them. "You can have hugs from me whenever you want."

Soon they were off, her sitting behind him clutching his waist. Her long moonlight colored braid danced behind her. His golden braid danced with hers. "You know I am glad you shaved. I hate beards. So gross." Tuffnut felt like he was on top of the world. She taught him how to read the sea currents and how to catch some fish while his dragon hunted. Together they dipped and glided lost in the feeling of the air currents. She spoke to him as they were sailing over the sea. "Tuff, why do you ride a Zippleback?" Tuffnut thought about Barf and Belch. "It was my and my sisters first dragon. Even though we are twins we are still separate people." Astra nodded. "You deserve to be loved for yourself. Its obvious to me Tundra will have no other now that he has met you."

Tuffnut stroked the dragon and felt a hum of contentment echo back through him. "Your right. Its time my sister and I ride separately." She smiled and snuggled into his back. "I didn't realize it was this nice to be close to someone. But I think I like it so much because its you Tuff." He was helpless about not smiling more than a little stupidly. "All the girls in my village avoid me I'm not sure why." She snorted. "Then they have no ability to judge a good man." His cheeks colored as he felt her play with his braid. "I like the long hair too. Especially now that I can see the length and full color. Its very pretty yet very manly." His chest puffed out and they side slipped to catch a shifting air stream. They danced on the winds for some time finally coming down when both of their hands were to cold to hang on any more. They were walking to rejoin the riders circle when she stopped him, holding her finger against his lips. Then Tuffnut heard someone speaking. "What are you going to do? If that mongrel manages to gain us allies in the Hooligan clan you will never be able to be Leader." A second voice hissed annoyed. "Do not repeat what I am already aware of fool. I am trying to do something, I managed to kill that idiot Dorsen. But too many had heard her warn him to stay off that freakish timberjack." Grumbles and insults. "It apparently has a new rider now and someone saw the mongrel held by the new rider. So I think the rumor about her coming here to take up marriage is probably true." The men moved away still talking mutinously.

She held him still for a bit but then Tuffnut heard the soft steps of a third person leaving the area. Someone else had been there. They moved as quietly as they could as they made their way back. "Shit, this isn't good." He looked at her. "That means they killed the guy who rode him before you to try and discredit me.." She nodded. "Who can you trust? All I have is Sunstar and now.. You?" He smiled. "Come with me." They took hidden paths back to Berk. Flying low over the sea and landing near the dragon stables. He urged her and Furei to wait inside while he gathered the others. Soon the large group entered and found her attending to her dragon. As everything was explained the horror crossed several faces. "I do not know what to do."


End file.
